Hyderabad: On Saturday, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy emphasized his strong dedication to enhancing sports in Telangana. He promised to allocate a suitable budget to make the state a thriving center for young athletes.
As India aims to host the 2036 Olympics, he highlighted that Hyderabad has the potential to host such a significant event and aims to support athletes in winning more medals for the country. During a sports conclave at HICC, the Chief Minister introduced a new sports policy, which was developed after thorough discussions.
Previously, there was no sports policy, a gap the Congress government intends to fill by providing opportunities for emerging talents.
“The absence of a sports policy has led the youth astray. Recently, drug and marijuana cases have surged in Telangana. We established Eagle Force to tackle this issue. There’s a risk of youth falling into addiction. Our new sports policy aims to empower Telangana athletes to compete globally and earn honors for India. To minimize political interference, the policy involves public-private partnerships with experts from various fields as stakeholders, limiting the state government’s role,” he clarified.
Revanth Reddy criticized the BRS regime for turning sports grounds into event venues, recalling that Hyderabad contributed nine players to the national football team that ranked fourth in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.
“Many athletes like Mohd Azharuddin, VVS Laxman, Ravikanth Reddy, Siraj, Nikat Zareen, and Deepti come from Telangana. We have clearly communicated that the state values both academic and sports excellence. Due to the previous government’s neglect, sports grounds are now used for functions and parties,” he remarked.
